Method of packing food products and container therefor



May 18 1926.

G. C, SUPPLEE METHOD OF PACKING FOOD PRODUCTS AND CONTAINER THEREFOR" Filed Augusc l5 1924 2 Sheet's-Sheert I 1 l/VVE/VTH GEaRGE C. SUP/#LEE May 18 1926.

G. C. SUPPLEE METHOD oF PACKING F-GQD PROBUCTS AND CONTAINER THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed August 15 m fh u m. S C E G m E G, \%\N \N uw Afro/Mfrs .I

PatentedlMay 18,. 1926.

UNITED sra'res PATE-'NT oFFICE.

" GEORGE c. sUrrLEE, or ADAMS, NEW Yoan.

. METHOD OF PACKING- FOOD PRODUCTS AND CONTAINER THEREFOR. I

Application iledvAu'gust 15, 1924. Serial 11m-732,141.

My invention relates to the packing of dry milk and other foods in such a manner as to preserve them for a long time. To accomplish this result, I have devised a novel method and yanovel type 'of container in which reducing chemicals are employed to -act on the oxygen of the air within the container, so as to prevent such oxygenpfrom exerting al deteriorating influence on the food; at the same time, my invention insures permanent separation of said chemicals from the food, so that the latter may not be injured by direct contact with such chemicals. A

Several examples of containers of the typeJ invented by me are illust-rated by the -accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through a container emhodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an inverted sectional detail showing the construction of the receptacle for the chemical; Fig. 3 is a central vertical section throughv a modified form of the container; Fig. 4 is a plan view partly brokenawayof the container shown in Fig. v3 and Fig. 5 is a central section of still another modified form of the container with parts of a receptacle being shown in sidel elevation and in section.

In Figs. 1 and 2,' the numeral 10 indicates a container of any suitable construction,

. 'but which as shown is provided with a top or cover 11, which may 'be removable and, in the illustrated example, is secur ly locked to the container, for instance as in icated at '12. Adjacent to its bottom edge, the container is provided with an inwardly projecting shoulder or bead 13, against which a receptacle or tray 14 is adaptedto be seated and held in place by the bottom 15 which is turned or rolled to form, with the main body portion of the container, the rolled seam A16. In the example illustrated, the container is shown `as filled with a food product in a dried or powdered condition. The tray 11 vis filled with the reducing reagent 17 which preferably consists of com- I mercial ferrous sulphate (FeSOJHzO) l freshly ground to a coarse powder and mixed witha suitable proportion of dry' lime Ca(OI-I\ 2'. The freshly round ferrous sulphate is sufiicientl'y ino-1st to allow the starting of a chemical 'reaction between the sulphate and the lime whereby iron hydroxidjFe(OI-I)2 is formed. The ir-on hydroxid formed Iby this reaction is an inter. mediate product 'which on contact with the air Acombines ,with the oxygen thereof to form ferrie oxid or common iron rust `container equals1000 c. c.; 209 c. c. of oxygen must bev removed, leaving 791 c. c. of nitrogen and a partial vacuum according to the amount of oxygen absorbed. In case-the outside lair should leak into the can slowly during long storage periods,l the oxygen of such incoming air could alsol'be absorbed until equal pressure existed .inside and outside l the can. Under such a condition, the can becomes automatically filled with an atmosphere consisting almost. exclusively of nitrogen, and no vacuum exists. Therefore, in

order to provide sufiicient iron sulphate to take up all-the oxygen which might seep in, it is necessary to add more than the theoretlcal amount required to take up the oxygen originally in the can. Calculations show that in a can of this size, provision should be made to absorb 266 c. tc. of oxygen. One I gram of f the iron sulphate completely changed through the hydroxid to iron oxid (iron rust) requires l0.02852 grams of oxygen. One liter of pure oxygen weighs 1.4292 grams, therefore 0.38038vv grams of oxygen must-be absorbed. This requires 13.2 grams of the iron sulphate. To convert this amount of sulphate into the Veasily oxidizable hydroxid, 3.52 grams of lime are required.. Similar calculations may obviously be made for other sizes of containers from which the oxygen is to be taken up.

The iron sulphate either ground or unground may be kept for long periods without material deterioration. The success of the method involves getting the u'noxidized hydroxid in the can and getting thecan sealed before the material has been rendered inert and useless by taking up any considerable amount of oxygen. When the iron sul- 4 los ' phate in excess of the amount required t0- son measures and mixes the lime and sulphate by hand, placing the mixture in small envelopes and the can in the automatic sealer, before any marked deterioration of the mixture results. lVhen using the sultake up all the oxygen from a filled can of powder, it has been found that only about 0.25% of oxygen remained in thc can after four hours.

The manner in which the packing is effected is as follows:

The container is tilled with the food product, after which the tray 14 containing' the freshly prepared material 17 is seated within the inverted container and the container is placed in an automatic sealing machine which secures the bottom 15 and forms the seam 16. The titff'between the side walls of the tray and `container is sut'- ticiently neat to prevent the reducing material, which forms a porous dry cake after the reaction has progressed, from passing into the body ot the container, while the tit not being air tight permits the circulation of the air from the body of the container to the reducing agent.

lVhile the use of ferrous sulphate and liniev hereinfore described is preferred to accomplish the (le-oxidation of the air in the container, my invention is not to he considered as limited to these substances as it will be apparent that many other substantially dry materials or mixtures may `also be used without departingr from the spirit of my invention. Among such other materials, the following examples may be noted: stannous chloride (SnCl. which in the presence of moisture will combine directly with the oxygen of the air forming stannic chloride (SnCL) basic chloride of tin (SnCMOTDCl). The reactionVf takes place in a substantially dry atmosphere and the resultant products are substantially dry, the stannic chloride which results from the oxidation in the presence of small amounts of moisture, forming a series of crystalline hydrates. This latter phenomenon is of importance because of the formation of crystals sufficiently large to prevent their passage through the restricted space allowed for the passage of the air.

Certain cobaltous compounds in the pres- -ence of traces of moisture and a suitable basic substance are converted to cobaltous hydroxid which will combine directly with the oxygen of the air in a manner practically identical with the formation of iron hydroxid.

The properties of the chromous salts also permit of their use in place of the substances hereinbefore enumerated. Vhen chromous chloride is mixed with substantially dry alkali, for. example, lime, 'in the presence of traces of moisture, a readily oxidizable hydroxid is formed, the action of which is similar to that of the ferrous and eobaltous Salts. Chromous chloride may also be used in the presence of an acid medium, for example, by impregnating with acid an inert vence of ammonia gas combines directly with the oxygen of the air. A suitable dry ammonium salt such as ammonium chloride mixed with a dry base, for example, lime, may be used as the source of the ammonia gas and the copper, in the form otl tiling.; or chips, may he mixed with the anunonium chloride and lime.

rl`he-construction of the container shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be varied. ln Figs. 3 and 4, I have shown an example ot a different form of container in whichy thc reducing material is placed within a jacketed can 10n having an inner jacket Q() arranged eoncentrically within the can and extending the full length thereof. |The inner jacket is spaced from the can to provide a compartment 21 in which the reducing material 17 is placed. Suitable spacing means such as the metal strips 21a/are pret'- erably provided to hold the inner jacket. concentrically of the outer can. In packing this container the food products are placed within the inner jacket, after which the material 17 is placed within the compartment 21. The top 11n which is secured to the can forms the bottom thereof during the packing operation, after which the bottom 15" is placed upon the can in the automatic sealer which forms the bead 1(51. Both the top 11a and bottom 15 are provided with a deep bead 22 which projects within the compartment 2l to prevent the oxygen absorbing materials from passing into the central compartment and also serves as an additional means to hold the inner jacket 20 in position. The top 11a of the can is preferably scored along a circular line 25 located well within the inner jacket to facilitate the opening thereof, and to indicate the proper place for opening the container.

In the example shown in F ig. 5, the container 10b is provided with a dished bottom 15b whichy has a cup shaped tray 15c secured thereto and is provided with an annular tiange 26 which is adapted to be crimped in the automatic sealer to form the bead 16". The bottom'27 of the tray 15 is secured to the sidewall 28 thereof hy a loosely crimped seam 29 which will permit the circulation of air, but will prevent the material 17 from passing through the seam. the side wall of the tray for `the introduction -of the oxygen absorbing material 17,

An opening 30 is provided in' and a closure 31 slidable in suitable guidesy 32 is provided for closing said opening after the material 17 has been placed within the '.tray. Any Suitable means may be provided ltray or compartment into the main-body of thejcontainer. A common characteristic of the chemicals employed is that they are in the form of large crystals, or form a cake, so that no small, loose particles of the chemicals capable of passing through the air passages are present.

It is to beunderstood that the various examplesof suitable chemicals hereinbefore enumerated are merely illustrative, as it will be obvious that many other chemicals could be employed. 1t' will also be understood that my invention is not limited to the specilic constructional details of the containers or compartments/illustrated as the principles herein disclosed obviously'may be utilized in a great variety of .container constructions.

It will also be noted that my improved method enables meto meet the following requirements: First, the chemicals should not react with the food products to-be packed;

- second, there should be no evolution of gas harmful to the food product as the result of the reaction with the oxygen third, the chemical employed must be cheap, so that the added cost of the packing operation will not exceed a fractional part of a cent per container; fourth, the mechanical or physical aspects of the methods of using the chemical must be simple enough to enable an eliicien't packing operation to rbe performed in a short time; fifth, the time rate of the reactionmust be susceptible of control so that the aiiinity which the chemical employed has for oxygen will not be exhaustedbefore the packing and lsealing ofthe cans'is completed; sixth, the manner in which the chemical is used must be such that evidence 'of its use will not be recognized by the consumer; and-lastly, the

direct intermixture of the chemical or any particles thereof with the food products must be prevented, while permitting circulation of the chemical.

fI claim:` v y 1. The method of .removing oxygen from containers lfor packing food products which consists in placing within the container a mixture of chemicals which will react to form as an intermediate'product, a reduc-- ing agent capable of combining directly with the oxygen of the air, while preventing d1-. rect contact or admixture of said chemicals or reducing agent with the food products cles,

contained in said container, and finally sealing said can before any vsubstantial oxidation of said reducing agent occurs.

'2. The method of removing oxygen from containers for-packing food products, which consists in placing within the container a mixture of chemicals which, in the presence of moisture, will react to form, as' an intermediate product, a reducing agent capable of combining directly w-ith tlre ox'ygen of the air, whilev preventing direct 'contact or admixture of said chemicals or reducing agent with the food products contained in said container, and finally sealing said can before the ailinity of said agent for oxygen is exhausted.

3. The method of packing food products in a container which consists in placing within the container, but out of contact with each other, the foodprduct and a solid reducing agent free from'small, loose particles, keeping' the said agent and the food product separate while allowing the air which is in con'- tact with the food productto pass into'contactwith said reducingagent, and sealing the container.

4. The method of ,packing food products -in a container,- which consists in placing within the container, but out of contact with eachother, the food product and a body of ferroussulphate and lime, keeping the par` ticles of said -body from contact with the food product, while allowingthe air which is in contact with the food product, to pass into contact with said body, and finally seal-- ing the container. 5. A sealed container having two compartments, one containing a food product and the other a substantially dry, solid reducing agent, and a barrier interposed between said compartments and forming with the walls of said container a restricted passageway which permits the passage of air from -the food-containing compartment to lthe other' compartment but prevents the passage of said agent to said food-containlng comparti ment.

- 6. A sealed container having two compartments, one containing a food product and the other'a reducing agent in the form of a solid substance free from minutev loose part-iand a barrier interposed between said compartments and forming with the walls of said container a restricted passageway which permits thepassageway'of air-fromrthe foodcontaining compartment to `theother compartment but prevents the passage of said vagent to said food-containing compartment.

7 Aseale-d container having two compartments, one containing a food product and 'the other a reducing agent, 'consisting of a body .of ferrous sulphate andylime, and a barrier interposed between said compartments and forming with the walls of said co'ptamer arestricted passageway which permits the passage of air from the food-containing compartment to the other compartment but prevents the passage of said agent to said food-containing com artment.

8. The combination wit a container adapted to hold food products of a shallow, imperiorate receptacle adapted to contain a chemical and a restricted passageway between said receptacle and container to permit circulation of a gaseous medium between said receptacle and, container while preventing the passage therebetween of particles of solid material. f

9. In a container adapted to hold food products, a receptacle ada ted to contain a chemical and a restrictec passageway of tortuous configuration between said receptacle and container to permit circulation of a gaseous medium between said receptacle and container while preventing the passage of particles of solid material.

10.The combination with a sealed container adapted to contain food productsl and consisting of side and end walls, of a partition located in closely spaced relationship to one of said Walls and substantially contcrminous therewith to foi-in with said wall a shallow compartment, and a reducing agent in a solid substantially dry condition packed within said com artment; the ends of said partition terminating suiciently close to certain of the other walls of said container toprovide a restricted passageway throu h which air is permitted to circulate but w ich prevents the of said reducin agent t erethrough.

11. Tle com ination with a sealed .container, of a false bottom which forms with one of the walls of said container a shallow compartmerti, and a reducingvag'ent in the form of a substantially dry 'solid' p'ked within said compartment; said false) bottom further forming with said,e'cintaieg` a restricted passagewa through which 'fair is permitted to circu ate butI which does not permit the passageof said reducing agent therethrough.o f

12. The combination with a sealed container, of a partition located in closely spaced passage of particles 4 relationship to one of the walls of said container and forming therewith a shallow compartment, said container being provided with a bead to hold said partition against lateral movement, and a reducing agent in a solid, substantially dry condition packed within said compartment.

13. A method of packing food products in a sealed container' with a reducing agent capable of combiningl directly with the oxygen of the air within said container, characterized by preparing said reducing agent by mixing ferrous sulphate and lime in the presence of moisture wl'ierehy a mixture of iron hydroxid and calcium Sulphate is formed, the iron hydroxid acting as the reducing agent and the calcium sulphate as a cementitious binder to form said mixture into a coherent porous cake. y

14. A method of packing. food products in a container with a reducing agent capable of combining directly with the oxygen of the air within said container and thereby prevent oxidation and deterioration of said food products, characterized by preparing a mixture of chemicals which will react in the presence of moisture to form the reducing agent as an intermediate product, and governing the time rate of the reaction which forms Ysuch reducing agent by controlling thel amount of moisture present so as to allow sutiieient time for packing and sealing @said container before the lcompletion of said reaction.

15. A method of packing substances susceptible to deterioration in the presence of oxygen which consists in preparing a mixture'of chemicals which will react to `form a' reducing agent as an intermediate product. placing such mixture and the substance to e packed within a container, while controlling the time rate of the reaction which forms said reducing agent so as to allow suicient time for packing and sealing said coxtainer-before the completion of the reaction which forms said reducing agent.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y GEORGE C. SUPPLEE. 

